tranny problem? please help

[johnd89]

Hello,

Sometimes (lately apparently more often), when I start the car in the morning and shift in OD to get moving, the car acts somehow like it's still in N, or barely moves forward. Then I have to apply the brakes and switch in R, then back in D, then it will go normaly.
A few time ago I had an error code (the check engine soon light came up) about the column shifter swich. It could be still that, or is it a sign the tranny will let go soon?
The car is a 91 park avenue with some 245k km.

Thanks a lot for any input!

[comp]

have you checked the fluid level ? has it been serviced ?

[johnd89]

thanks for the reply,
the fluid level is good and the tranny wasn't serviced lately (since I got the car...).

One thing that I noticed is that it did that the first couple of times when left outside at work in severe cold...

[comp]

ok, smell the fluid to see if it's burnt, if your not sure buy a qt. of new fluid to use a a reference, for smell AND COLOR it needs to be red, not
brown, not reddish-brown, where do you live, how cold?

[johnd89]

well, pretty cold, if I look closely I can see the polar bears-hehe- joke aside, some -45 F... but now I keep the car in a heated garage, but still it does that in the morning.

the fluid is more or less ok, I never changed it(in the last 20k miles since I own the car)... of course it isn't red like a new one, but not brownish, also it dosen't smell burnt. The tranny slips a little in third when going slightly uphill and I heard that if I change the fluid it will slip some more after... could this be true? If not, I'll go ahead and change it...

Thanks for the replys!

[comp]

it needs service, do you have a good and honest shop you good to ??
in high mileage auto-trans cars with"slite" slippin and "morning sickness"
(when trans doesn't go till ready) i change fluid & filter, and use
CHRYSLER fluid ( dex-mercon + a friction modifier) if you have a reliable
mechanic talk to him about it, it's worked in more cars & trucks than i
can remember, also have had some luck with (hate to addmit) Lucas
trans treatment(don't tell) let me know

[jim dillard]

Does it go if you put it d? You may have wear in the shifting ass'y or bushings etc and when it looks like it is in gear it is not. One easy way to tell is if you can go from park to neutral try to start it in neutral. But really, 245k ? if it goes when you play with the shifter, play with it!

[comp]

good catch Jim, i tend to assume the little things have been checked
that a s s u m e thing

[johnd89]

well, I'll change the fluid then. what do you mean by a friction modifier? is it too a chrysler product? also, trans go makes a shift kit for those trannies
http://www.pro-built.net/index.cfm?f...&productid=158

do you think it will help?

thanks!

[comp]

the fluid is made so the friction materials in the trans clamp and/or hold
better (clutch;band's,steel's) new fluid will carry more line pressure to,
(hyd. pressure) i'd be affaid to put a shift-kit in there to many
mile's, and it's weak now, so do you have a good mech. or are you doing
the service???

[johnd89]

I understand that there are two options to change the fluid: one at a garage when it flushes the entire fluid, and the other (wich I can do myself) when only one third it's changed (by dropping the pan). wich one should I do?
thanks!

PS: I think I made a mistake, I change 4qt out of 12 pt, not one third...

[comp]

i'm used to doing it myself,(i'd like the heated garage) i've READ good things about the flushing systems but don't have personal experience with them, on trannie problem's i take baby steps... called about a TURBO-350 i did same thing + added 1/2 qt. of the LUCAS
trans fix in , OK so far, don't try the lucas yet, it's thick, The lady is
tring to get trans to last till spring(tax check)

[comp]

P.S. the fluid looks a little different, only use name brand, it sometime's
has a " + " on the bottle ,it should say for Chry. veh. let me know

[comp]

P.S. #2 remember to use a quality filter also, (gettin old, dah!)

[flyingpiranha]

Originally Posted by jim dillard

Does it go if you put it d? You may have wear in the shifting ass'y or bushings etc and when it looks like it is in gear it is not. One easy way to tell is if you can go from park to neutral try to start it in neutral. But really, 245k ? if it goes when you play with the shifter, play with it!

Hey Jim,
I have a similar problem. My trans works fine except for one problem. When I put it into drive it will not engage until I pull the shifter back has far as it will go in the “D” position. Then it engages like normal. I can slide it back slowly from neutral to drive and nothing will happen. Then I tap the shifter back and it will go. I have had the transmission flushed. Someone told me that it was an actuator.
Do you have any ideas?